


As Long as We're Together

by Telesilla



Series: Take a Chance on Me [7]
Category: Baseball RPF, Sports RPF
Genre: Awkward Hugs, Baseball, Based on a Tumblr Post, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-05
Updated: 2014-08-05
Packaged: 2018-02-11 20:54:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2082852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Telesilla/pseuds/Telesilla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They don't look at each other in public.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As Long as We're Together

**Author's Note:**

> Seriously, when I saw this, how could I not?
> 
> Image edit by paulmara on tumblr

_August 3, 2014_  
 _@Mets W 9-0_

They don’t look at each other in public.

Okay, they do. But it’s different—they’re different with each other than they are with everyone else.

It’s one thing for Belt to blog about going on dates with Madison. It’s one thing for everyone online to joke about Pence and Morse’s epic bromance or for Cainer to all but spank Pence on camera like he did that one time. It’s even okay for Buster and Timmy to share this _look_ on camera after Timmy’s second no-no.

(Madison has his jealous moments, but he can’t be jealous of Timmy and Buster’s complicated relationship. In spite of the pressure, the press, their own stubbornness and their seriously different personalities, Tim and Buster are friends, and really, Madison’s okay with it.)

What Madison’s not okay with is the way he and Buster have to watch their every move, every look, every touch, every fucking interaction in public. They’re curt with each other on the mound—never saying anything personal even when Buster’s mask is down and Madison’s got his glove over his face. They’re careful in the handshake lines after games—sticking to high fives and the occasional bro hug. Dogpiles are a little different because in those everyone’s acting like fools, but even then, Madison’s careful—always aware of where the cameras are.

So this afternoon, in the line after his complete game shutout, Madison gives Buster this sorta sideways hug that’s not much different than the one he just exchanged with Susac. Madison’s pretty sure Timmy and Belt and even Pablo will hug him closer and tighter than his own boyfriend does.

But suddenly, his arm’s around Buster’s chest and Buster’s got his arm slung around Madison’s waist and if they turned just a little, they’d be holding each other the way they do at home when the door first closes behind them. There’s a fucking camera on them, of course, so they can’t do that. Madison’s annoyed, but he does his best not to glare at the camera guy; it’s not that one dude’s fault they can’t get too close.

And then, as the photographer turns away, Buster murmurs, “love you.”

It hits Madison in the chest like it always does—a little breathless second of shock because how the fuck did he get this lucky? Before he can say anything, Buster’s hand goes tight on his hip—like a promise of some kind—for just a second and then he’s gone.

Later, when Madison’s doing the little post-game interview thing with Kruk and Kuip, he says something about always being on the same page with Buster, of having a good rhythm with him. “We kinda think the same way, so that helps,” he says and right then, just for a second, he’s not talking about game plans.

_-end-_


End file.
